MOSCOW, Oct. 25The Russian authorities managed to contain economic blows after the start of a special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine, and therefore people who had left began to return to the country, writes the British newspaper Financial Times.
As the publication says, after “a certain outflow of Russians abroad,” some decided to return to Moscow, which journalists called “a sign of the extent to which the Kremlin has managed to contain some of the biggest economic shocks.”
The FT interviewed several of the returning citizens. One Russian who left for Armenia told reporters that he decided to do so because he realized that “job opportunities outside the country are not as good as they could be.” Another newspaper interlocutor went to Kyrgyzstan, but returned, realizing that in Russia “life goes on and business continues to develop.”
Among the motivations for returning, they also cited the opportunity to get senior positions with high salaries in large technology companies that are seeking to fill the gaps created by the outflow of specialists. Also, as the Financial Times notes, the reason for the return may be the difficulties faced by Russians in other countries.
At the same time, even last year, Western media noted the ineffectiveness of the imposed restrictions. In particular, in October 2022, The Economist magazine wrote that the economic situation in Russia is significantly improving, while Europe is on the verge of a “deep recession.” The American newspaper The Wall Street Journal noted that Russia's ability to withstand pressure will be a subject of future study for analysts wondering when sanctions make sense.